Would it be Will Grier or P.J Walker if Panthers go with two QBs?

Would the Carolina Panthers go with P.J. Walker or Will Grier if they decide to take through just two quarterbacks onto their roster in 2021?

Having three quarterbacks on the roster was almost a necessity for the Carolina Panthers in 2020. There was so much uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 that complications were inevitable at some stage, although the organization deserves an incredible amount of credit for keeping this to a minimum in extremely difficult circumstances.

With the Panthers now having one of the highest vaccination rates in the league, Joseph Person of The Athletic asked the question to Matt Rhule regarding how many signal-callers he’s planning to take through onto the team in 2021.

Rhule outlined their intent to explore the possibility of going with two quarterbacks. Highlighting the benefits it could potentially give other areas on the depth chart.

The Panthers only activated two at any given time last season, so it makes sense for them to at least explore just which positional groups could use another option.

Sam Darnold is the undisputed starter following his trade from the New York Jets. So this intriguing development only raises the stakes for P.J. Walker and Will Grier at training camp.

Both players are heading into something of a crossroads. The Panthers went with Walker more often than not in the backup role last season, so the former XFL MVP candidate could be in pole position to win the job again.

Walker needs to earn it, obviously.

Considering how hard Grier has been working this offseason, the West Virginia product isn’t going to go down without a fight.

Carolina obviously drafted Grier to become the heir apparent to Cam Newton. The 2019 third-round selection was nowhere near ready to see the field as a rookie and his chances took a turn for the worst when Ron Rivera was fired and replaced by Rhule, who had his own ideas and wasn’t around when the signal-caller was picked.

Will Grier and P.J. Walker could both make the Carolina Panthers roster.

Of course, there are some factors in play that could see both Grier and Walker make the team.

With the Delta variant now becoming more prevalent across the country, COVID-19 issues could yet emerge despite encouraging vaccination figures where Carolina is concerned.

Being vaccinated doesn’t stop you from getting the virus. It just means that you don’t become hospitalized or seriously ill.

The Panthers took every possible precaution last year – something that served them well – with their only real problem coming when players met together away from the team during their bye week.

This is something that Rhule is fully aware of and is going to constantly react to an ever-changing situation. Darnold is now fully vaccinated, but it would probably be wise to keep Grier and Walker around in preparation for every eventuality.

Putting one on the practice squad is another thing to consider. Although Carolina would be running the risk of losing one to the waiver wire before getting this chance.

If it was a choice between the two, Walker would probably be the guy. He has a long-standing relationship with Rhule and offers something a little different in terms of the mobility to make plays outside of the pocket.

This is a situation worth monitoring. It’s also worth remembering how many games Darnold has missed during his three-year career so far, which obviously needs to come into consideration when deciding how many quarterbacks to bring through.

Going with two is a tempting proposition. But erring on the side of caution is the smart route to go down in pursuit of avoiding any potential problems during a hugely important 2021 season.